The present disclosure relates, in general, to vehicle body structures and, particularly, to energy absorbing vehicle panel mounting structures.
Automobile bodies are typically formed of a number of metal panels that are mounted on underlying rigid frame members. One such panel is a front fender structure. The fender is disposed on an apron structural member attached to or otherwise forming part of the rigid vehicle frame. Fender attachment brackets which undergo buckling deformation on impact, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,182,027 B2, have been proposed to attach the fender to the apron structural member and to absorb impact energy.
Such energy absorption members are employed to protect pedestrians and, in particular, pedestrian's heads, when a vehicle contacts a pedestrian.
Despite the use of energy absorption brackets with vehicle fenders, it is still desirable to provide an energy vehicle fender construction which can be easily and inexpensively implemented with minimal clearance space, while still meeting required peak impact force and minimal deformation stroke distance.